122 ‘ JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS. 
We need not expect to find internal structure in such organisms. 
Strize, however, unquestionably in some instances, may be detected 
even without the aid the ordinary lens affords us. I ask you to 
pardon the repetition of the description of Buthotrephis I gave, as 
some few opponents have not seen it. Here we have a conical root 
buried in a dolomitic shale precisely as. it grew—a main stem and 
well defined branches alternating, gradually becoming smaller towards 
the top. How anything presenting such an appearance can be put 
down as some obscure organism, a worm track or trail, is what I am 
utterly unable to comprehend.’ Even a single branch appears to me 
to be sufficient to convince anyone as regards its nature ; the very . 
branching itself seems conclusive on the point in question, in- 
dependent of other considerations. No Annelid, as far as I can see, 
could produce a trail that bears any resemblance whatever to one of 
the poorest preserved fossil branches you may see in our cases. I 
have already placed before the Section, for examination, three 
species, all probably new, of the genus Licrophycus. All were 
obtained from the Clinton sub-division, and two of the number 
since the paper was published on “Silurian Fossil Plants of Ham- 
ilton, Ont.” One, now in the Redpath Museum, Montreal, presents 
a tuft or bunch of branches proceeding from a single stalk, (such, 
however, is usually the case) but in this specimen the main stem is 
continued through the centre of the tuft, producing another about an 
inch above it. A far more flexible species (yet in my possession) 
displays not only a second tuft, but also a third and the base of a 
fourth one proceeding from the stem. I am unable to comprehend 
how such an impression as this could represent anything but a plant 
or fucoid. It may be considered rather questionable taste for an 
amateur to think famous palezeobotanists such as Lasquereux, etc., can 
be mistaken, more especially with regard to such organisms. A 
good deal depends on the state of preservation of the specimens ex- 
amined, as well as their immediate surroundings ; the latter appears 
to be entirely unknown in many instances, and an opinion formed 
from imperfect specimens submitted for examination. I find I am 
near the end of my pages, and have only referred to two genera of 
plants yet, so you may kindly excuse me for returning to this subject 
on another occasion. 
In extenuation of my offence, viz., unfortunately  differ- 
ing from well-known palzeobotanists regarding the nature of some 
